Families of three people killed in a triple-fatal highway crash might have to wait another year for an alleged murderer’s trial.
Rafferty Raymond Rolfe was charged with three counts of domestic-violence-related murder after emerging as the sole survivor of a multi-vehicle collision on a major Queensland highway.
The Yandina man is accused of following and attempting to ram a ute driven by a good Samaritan who had picked up Rolfe’s girlfriend as a passenger.
The ute was allegedly hit and veered onto the wrong side of the Bruce Highway at Federal, near the Sunshine Coast, and into the path of an oncoming ute on June 21, 2023.
Rolfe, who is in custody, was not required to appear on Thursday for a pre-trial review in Brisbane Supreme Court.
The case had a provisional listing for a trial lasting up to four weeks to start on February 1 next year, Justice Lincoln Crowley heard.
“The matter won’t be confirmed until the court calendar for the first half of 2027 is finalised,” Justice Crowley said.
Justice Crowley was told the prosecutor who was due to handle the trial had taken leave for unexpected health issues and the trial plan had not been finalised.
Rolfe’s barrister Gregory McGuire said his instructing solicitor had been told the trial prosecutor would not be back at work before August 28.
“The prosecution has yet to settle on a list of witnesses to be called at trial and provide that list to the defence,” Mr McGuire said.
Justice Crowley said the provision trial date was now facing difficulty.
“I expect the court calendar will need to be finalised before September 10, so if nothing can happen to progress soon then the provision trial listing would be lost,” Justice Crowley said.
“If the (trial prosecutor) is going to be on leave for any significant further period, someone else is going to have to take over.”
Mr Finch said he would raise the issue with a senior prosecutor immediately.
Retiree Terry Bishop, 65, was driving with Rolfe’s girlfriend – 25-year-old Gypsy Satterley – when his dual-cab ute was allegedly rammed.
They died in the crash along with the driver of the other ute, 38-year-old Jessica Townley.
Rolfe has been accused of stealing an SUV in Gympie’s main street 12 hours before the fatal crash, after threatening a mother and three children at knifepoint.
Police allege Ms Satterley travelled with Rolfe in the stolen car before fleeing and being rescued by Mr Bishop, who has been described by police as a good Samaritan and a tragic victim of circumstance.
The matter will return to court for another review next Thursday.
